Newtons (cookie) facts for kids
 |
|
 |
|
| Owner | Mondelez International |
|---|---|
| Introduced | 1891 |
Newtons are super popular cookies from Nabisco! They're special because they're filled with a sweet fruit paste. The most famous kind is the Fig Newton, which has a yummy fig filling. These cookies have a unique shape that you can spot right away, and other companies have even copied it!
A baker named Charles Roser invented Newtons. The very first ones were baked way back in 1891.
How Newtons Began
Did you know that long ago, in the late 1800s, many doctors thought that eating biscuits and fruit every day was good for your health? They believed it helped with digestion! Fig rolls, which are like fruit-filled pastries, were a perfect fit for this idea.
These tasty treats were first made by hand and brought to the U.S. by people from Britain. But then, a baker from Philadelphia named Charles Roser came up with a clever idea in 1891. He invented a special way to put fig paste inside a thick pastry dough. This made it much easier to make lots of them!
The First Newtons
A company called Kennedy Biscuit Company, located in Cambridgeport, Massachusetts, bought Roser's amazing recipe. They started making the cookies in large amounts. The very first Fig Newtons were baked at the F. A. Kennedy Steam Bakery in 1891.
The cookies were named after the city of Newton, Massachusetts. It's a cool way to remember where they got their start!
Becoming Nabisco
The Kennedy Biscuit Company later joined forces with another company called New York Biscuit Company. Together, they became the famous company we know today as Nabisco! After this big merger, the delicious fig rolls were officially named "Fig Newtons."
For many years, they were known as Fig Newtons. But since 2012, the company decided to shorten the name. Now, they are simply called "Newtons."
Different Kinds of Newtons
For a long time, the original Fig Newtons were the only kind you could buy. But in the 1980s, Nabisco started making new flavors!
Today, you can find many different kinds of Newtons. Besides the classic fig filling, there are versions with:
- Apple cinnamon
- Strawberry
- Raspberry
- Cherry
- Blueberry
- Mixed berry
You can also find Newtons made with 100% whole-grain flour, which is a healthier option. There are even fat-free versions for those watching their diet! Plus, smaller "Fig Newton Minis" were introduced, perfect for a quick snack.
Newtons are super popular! In fact, the fig bar is one of Nabisco's top-selling products. As of 2018, people buy more than 700 million bars every single year!
See also
